Hoi An vs Koh Samui

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Hoi An, Vietnam
🇻🇳Vietnam

Hoi An

71Freedom Score#43Global rank$1,050Per month

A UNESCO lantern-lit old town between rice paddies and the river — Vietnam's most picturesque base, with 45-day visa-free and rock-bottom costs.

Koh Samui, Thailand
🇹🇭Thailand

Koh Samui

69Freedom Score#53Global rank$1,400Per month

Thailand's island of palms and granite boulders — direct airport access, beach clubs, and the DTV long-stay visa for remote workers.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseHoi AnKoh Samui
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,050✓$1,400
Rent, 1BR city centre$400✓$450
Meal, mid-range$6✓$8
Coworking deskper month$100✓$190
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper40.0✓46.0

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureHoi AnKoh Samui
Safety
82
70
Healthcare
48
65
Walkability
88
48
English spoken
35
55
Food & dining
82
72
Nightlife
45
62
Outdoors
70
44
Nomad community
58
58
Climate quality
75
78
Public transit
40
40

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureHoi AnKoh Samui
Freedom Score71/100✓69/100
Global rankof 100 cities#43✓#53
Internet45 Mbps60 Mbps✓
Average temperature79°F82°F
Air quality40/10040/100
Airport connectivity35/10058/100✓
Nomad visa45 days freeDTV 5-year
Headline tax rateon local income20%15%

Which should you choose?

Choose Hoi An if runs $350/mo cheaper, rent is $50/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (82 vs 70) and it is more walkable.

Choose Koh Samui if internet is faster at 60 Mbps, English is more widely spoken, the climate scores better and the headline tax rate is lower.

What each city is known for

Hoi An

  • UNESCO old town of lanterns and tailors
  • 45-day visa-free for Westerners
  • Among the cheapest nomad towns
  • Rice paddies and river beaches

Koh Samui

  • Own international airport — fly direct
  • Palm beaches and granite boulders
  • Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
  • Big expat and digital-nomad scene

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Hoi An or Koh Samui?
Hoi An scores higher on the Freedom Score (71/100 against 69/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Hoi An or Koh Samui?
Hoi An is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,050 against $1,400, a difference of $350 a month or about $4,200 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $400/mo in Hoi An versus $450/mo in Koh Samui.
Which is safer: Hoi An or Koh Samui?
Hoi An scores higher on safety, 82/100 against 70/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Hoi An and Koh Samui?
Hoi An averages 45 Mbps and Koh Samui averages 60 Mbps, so Koh Samui has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Hoi An or Koh Samui?
Hoi An sits in Vietnam (45 days free) and Koh Samui in Thailand (DTV 5-year). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

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Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.